Wooly15 Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Well, now that the super is running reliably, and I'm selling my truck, it's time to start on the interior. I'm planning on having a pro do the seats, door panels, and headliner. Can anyone tell me what a fair or average price should be for these? I've never had anything done like this and would like to avoid spending too much. My first estimate was $6500 for seats, headliner, carpet, and panels. Is that average? I've considered ordering pre-cut upholstery and trying the seats myself. This is a super 4 door sedan by the way. Lots to do! Thanks, Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Does that price include the original silver infused seat cloth? And does all that really need to be replaced? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooly15 Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 The original seat fabric is very worn and stained, it has to be replaced including some foam. That quote was for two tone vinyl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 For non original materials, I'd keep getting quotes... a lot of quotes... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooly15 Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 That's what I thought. Seemed high. Thanks. I'd still like to hear how much you guys have paid recently for similar work. If you don't mind sayin'. Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrim65 Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 (edited) Hi Wooly15 sorry to hike into this thread , but also very interested as have seen a 55 Buick special I like but needs new interior , and would need to take cost into account when making an offer, so waiting to see if anyone can give a guide. good luck with your restoration , look forward to seeing photos cheers pilgrim Edited September 17, 2016 by Pilgrim65 Missing word (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 I will recommend this company. I have used for carpet sets and they have seat patterns for a lot of cars. They also sell material to make door panels and pre-finished door panels. Automotive Interiors & Accessories www.automotiveinteriors.com Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) …. consider that the foam usually ozones away long before the material does and usually the wear is the result of losing the foam support behind it. Also, ozoned foam has a putrid smell to it as well. The best constructed and executed upholstery job using the wrong material, in our opinion ( me and my pocket mouse ) looks even worse than an aging or torn original interior with or without the preverbal Indian Blanket touches. Just some thoughts here …. oh, one other thing to consider is going the route of taking the seats completely out, carefully removing the original material coverings complete and intack, then discarding the old foam and replacing with new better quality foam. Now clean all the material of dirt and grime with the proper non chemical based citrus cleaners available these days then hang out to dry throughly & or have dry cleaned. Working on the cleaned underside of the original material find a suitable underside binder lapping material so as to sandwich up and under the material setting it in place via hot gluing using a very flexible heat set urethane glue; then reinstall the OEM material over your new foam base …. That's what I'm gonna do on my rides so just some thoughts here for your consideration …. Edited September 18, 2016 by buick man (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooly15 Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 I wish it were just the foam. The fabric is actually torn and cracked front and rear. It's not salvageable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 Wooly15, what color is your interior? If you are not desperate to finish the car, but would like a temporary solution, to drive it for a while,, what you can do is get a pair of matching queen sized mattress pads. Also go to your local hardware store and source some thin metal rods. I purchased 3/16th steel rods at ACE Hardware.. Orient your pads on the seat to your liking, then slide the rods through the topmost edge of the mattress pad. Remove the seat back and fold the pad and rod over the top. Then just use plastic zip ties to hold the metal rods to the seat frame. The rear seat may be hard to reinstall due to the extra material in the mattress pad, but this holds the pads to the seat back and the bottom just lays there. It's temporary, but adds service life to what you have while planning and banking sufficient resources to do the job. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) Be resourcefull until you can afford to go back an do again with better stuff. Edited September 18, 2016 by jackofalltrades70 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 A professionally done interior is going to cost about $7,000, maybe more. A lot of cars don't warrant that or owners are not at a point with the rest of the car to want to be in that deep. And some just want a soft smooth surface to sit on. Have you considered just repairing yours? The front seat cushion of my '48 Packard is wool broadcloth and the edges were rotted and moth eaten. The seat back was fine. I carefully removed the upholstery from the seat frame and had an upholsterer stitch in some repair material that was a similar gray wool cloth I found on Ebay. The cloth was about $40 and she stitched it for $150. (I promosed not to mention she was involved) It is a repaired original that won't be show but preservation. If I didn't fart around on the computer it would be done today, probably tomorrow night. There is a tack strip around the frame and hog rings to attach it. She left extra material for me to trim when I am done. Someday I might want to do it perfectly, but I doubt it. SMS had the correct fabric in stock for $80 a yard it takes about 10 yards. I might buy it and work my way through a cushion at a time. There are a lot of other things of higher priority. I'll put the first couple hundred and my time in and see where it goes from there. I'll get some pictures today. You can do a lot to tidy things up without a big investment. Hell, when I was young college professors wore patches on their sport coat sleeves. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooly15 Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 I bought a piece of fabric from Walmart that I made into a seat cover. It's working for now in the front. The back is better off , the vinyl sections are the worst. The front and rear fabric doesn't match for some reason. The headliner and floor pans need done immediately and I was just wondering if I should just have it all done all at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 (edited) Just for some encouragement, or a bad example, here is the Packard lower front seat cushion. The bad was cut out and the similar stitched in. I still have to put the buttons in, but it is back in the car. New material is on the back side of the tender stuff. It feels good to sit on but I might pop the tacks out and add some cotton batting. The nice part is that I already did it once. Taking it apart and putting it back together is easier the second the. Back in awaiting the future. The rear seat has a hole. I will do the same thing there, one of these days. Edited September 18, 2016 by 60FlatTop (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 The back seat looks to be the original material, except I'm not certain about the fold down arm rest. Obviously the front seat has been done over before. That is an awful tear in the headliner too. I see why you want to address it all now. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Here's another place to try. They have a pretty good reputation in the NYC/Long Island area. Automat https://www.autointeriors.biz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Mereness Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Did you try Lebaron Bonney ? And, you could always buy a portion (ex. Front seat) and the materials to finish later (Back Seat) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 …. gee whiz at $ 7,000 plus to stich, sew and tuck, I'd jut go out and buy a used long arm upholsteriers sewing machine, the correct needles, bobs etc and learn how to sew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick5563 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 4 hours ago, buick man said: …. gee whiz at $ 7,000 plus to stich, sew and tuck, I'd jut go out and buy a used long arm upholsteriers sewing machine, the correct needles, bobs etc and learn how to sew. I thought the same thing, so I took an industrial sewing class. I immediately realized that it would take me ten years to be able to sew well enough for me to be happy. $7k sounds high, but the original materials alone for my convertible cost $4k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1953mack Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) How cheap is cheap? Scour the Craigslists in your area or drive around for leather sofas left on the curbside for free pickup. Take a pair of scissors with you. Al Malachowski BCA #8965 "500 Miles West of Flint" Edited September 21, 2016 by 1953mack (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Back in 1994 when I had my Special in RM Restorations here in Ontario Canada to put on a new convertible top they had a 1958 Buick Limited 2 door in the shop to do a "complete" correct interior. This was from floor the carpets to the roof liner, seats and door panels. When I asked the shop foreman just what something like that was going to cost (since I had one identical to it) his short answer was, started around 10,000. That was back then and much more than just seats and they did do concours work but ...... Way out of my financial ability then (and now). I since have found a couple of small shops here at home that do auto upholstery and going to check them out this winter and see.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 A quick report: I asked for a quote from Autointeriors.com, but I won't be considering them. They have no original materials, and no original patterns for the 56 Buick. They advised that they have a standard seat pattern for 50's cars, which, when I looked at the pictures, I recognized in several vehicles in my area. If I wanted to look like everyone else I would not be dealing with Buicks. There was no actual price quoted but that is of no concern to me at this point. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) Like everything else involved in restoring an antique car, getting correct upholstery work (or trimming, as the older word goes) is getting expensive. First of all, most of the cost is labor, so don't skimp on materials. Try to find the original fabrics, and match the original vinyl or leather. I just looked at a very nice late 1920's touring car, expensive make, restored a number of years ago, with a nice top and actually a very, very well done interior...in vinyl. When the car was done, leather might have added $1500 to the cost of the interior, now, it's an easy $10K to $12K fix. Also, I encourage people to do their own upholstery, if you have the skill and, most importantly, the patience. Nothing about trimming is difficult, but you do need to know a few tricks, and you need to be able to handle a sewing machine at a slow pace. Just like a lot of skills, it takes practice, and while some people can have the patience and spatial perception to be successful, others just don't get it....again, just like a lot of trades. Saying you're going to buy a sewing machine and just do it is not quite as outrageous as saying "oh, shucks, I'll just rebuild my own engine, let me go buy some machine tools", but it's not a slam dunk either. If not done correctly, nor with correct materials, then whatever a local shop can quote you, but no one, including yourself, is going to be happy in the long run. Edited September 22, 2016 by trimacar (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttotired Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I fully retrimmed my phoenix, I didnt make the roof lining (but did fit it) but I did make the rest. Trimming prices seem to be similar to here in Perth I found it kind of fun actually. I had to replace all the soft stuff in the seats and re make springs (that are not available). The materials are not original, but suit the car fine. I am happy with how it came out as a first time go at doing it 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Looks nice! it can be done... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 (edited) 17 hours ago, buick5563 said: I thought the same thing, so I took an industrial sewing class. I immediately realized that it would take me ten years to be able to sew well enough for me to be happy. $7k sounds high, but the original materials alone for my convertible cost $4k. … well yeah a convertible and the resale value return on it has a much higher future upside return then say a lot of other type / models / makes that are just simple low cost investments. A lot of us only have maybe $ 5,500 into the car over the cost of it and that was to get it dependable and road worthy. So another $ 7-10 grand for the rest of us non gated community and/or non estate dwellers is just unaffordable and undoable so an alternative universe has to be created and mastered …. Edited September 22, 2016 by buick man (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Todd Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 I paid about a solid grand for my interior. Thats for the cost of the material and labor for all four door panels, both seats (with new foam) dash, carpet, and the various little pieces like the top of the door handles, glovebox fabric piece, etc. I just now finally got all of it back, and hopefully will get it put in this weekend! (excited!). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrim65 Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Hi guys very useful reading 7k ouch! Crossed the 55 Buick needing new interior of my shortlist. cheers pilgrim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 No gated community here. I just don't shovel the driveway. Don't believe in security lights either, just leave sharp stuff in the tall grass with the lights off. Oh, and I bought my Wife a Tahoe so's the Feds think they are already here. Bernie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick5563 Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 I'm not in a gated community either, but I get buickman's point. I had just the seats recovered in my wagon in an inauthentic pattern and vinyl for $2,400. Carpet, I installed for around $400 shipped. Figure another $500-ish for headliner and $500 for ok door panels and you are closer to $4k. My 55 Special was in the $5k range with authentic materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Anyone ever have just the foam in the seats replaced? The upholstery in my car is decent but the foam is slowly disintegrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 1 hour ago, buick5563 said: $500 for ok door panels... Maybe if part of a big job. I was quoted $350 to replace just the panel for one integrated arm rest...and I would disassemble other than the fabric/vinyl. 4 minutes ago, Paul Falabella said: Anyone ever have just the foam in the seats replaced? The upholstery in my car is decent but the foam is slowly disintegrating. If that is original upholstery wait until all needs attention. I tried to keep one "original" by just replacing foam, repairing seams (every time if was fixed another would open). When I finally got it intact the vinyl and fabric gave up and I had to do the whole thing anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Think about it. At a $50/hr shop rate $6000 only equates to 3 weeks work. Do you think you could do a complete interior in 3 weeks? And oh yea, that doesn't include the price of materials. You get what you pay for. The nicer the nice the higher the price. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Todd Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 I paid 200 for all four door panels. I think 60 for the dash, and 200 for the back seat. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Regarding post # 35. From your pictures looking at the seams and the wrinkles I think you paid too much at $460.00. In fact I wouldn't have accepted the job. Or maybe I would be expecting an excellent job for a charge of about $4,000.00. I had my seats done 35 years ago. The trimmer's question was "do you want them like original with tacks or just re done modern style with staples". I supplied the mohair he did the work for $2,000.00. The pleats, folds and overlaps were exactly as original. Because it was easier that he expected and I had just brought him the seats he sewed my new headliner for free. It took me five hours to hang the headliner and it fit just like the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Todd Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Tinindian said: 16 minutes ago, Tinindian said: Regarding post # 35. From your pictures looking at the seams and the wrinkles I think you paid too much at $460.00. In fact I wouldn't have accepted the job. Or maybe I would be expecting an excellent job for a charge of about $4,000.00. I had my seats done 35 years ago. The trimmer's question was "do you want them like original with tacks or just re done modern style with staples". I supplied the mohair he did the work for $2,000.00. The pleats, folds and overlaps were exactly as original. Because it was easier that he expected and I had just brought him the seats he sewed my new headliner for free. It took me five hours to hang the headliner and it fit just like the original. Nah, my seats rule!!! I probably could of got a wrinkle out for an additional $2,000, but I love em. Plus the seams look just the original ones. I love all of it! Especially since I helped make the door panels instead of just sending it off and dealing out wads of bills. If you want to reject that then there is no fun in the project. I'm not saying thousands is too much if you want a 100% original, totally flawless job. I just think it's funner to do as much as you can by yourself/ with close people, rather than "pick it up in 3 weeks, pay me." More memories that way, and a 1/10 of the price. Edited September 22, 2016 by Brandon Todd (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick5563 Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 I hope Tinindian was joking about the wrinkles. That looks like what I would expect at that price. I'm not ragging on it either, Brandon. Living in in my gated community I expect certain wines to taste certain ways. You CAN find a good bottle of wine for $15, it just may not be as good as the $75 bottle, but is still satisfying. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 I did my interior all by my lonesome with purchasing components from aforementioned AutomotiveInteriors.com. Many of you have seen my interior in my '47 Roadmaster and I think it is slamming nice. I have around $1,000.00 and my labor into it. Perfect? No! Nice enough to draw compliments at every show I go to? You bet! I didn't have the money to put a Lebaron and Bonney interior in and am glad I didn't! love my car as it is! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 2 hours ago, buick5563 said: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Falabella Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 2 hours ago, buick5563 said: I hope Tinindian was joking about the wrinkles. That looks like what I would expect at that price. I'm not ragging on it either, Brandon. Some wrinkles were factory installed. Reprint from Motor Trend road test of a brand new 55 Lincoln. Note the headliner. Might I add I did not work at Lincoln at the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now